The Department of English at Western Illinois University


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  • A Warrior for Earth: A review of “What Happened to the Heart?”
    AURORA, Review

    A Warrior for Earth: A review of “What Happened to the Heart?”

    Carter L Myers
    Mar 6, 2026

    A review essay of What Happened to the Heart? by AURORA. Decca, Glassnote and Petroleum Records, 2024. You can give up on…

  • A Stew of Sounds: A review of “The Gods We Can Touch”
    AURORA, Review

    A Stew of Sounds: A review of “The Gods We Can Touch”

    Cecilia Garcia
    Mar 5, 2026

    A review essay of The Gods We Can Touch by AURORA. Decca and Glassnote Records, 2022. “[a] long time ago we seemed…

  • A Lesson on Balance: A review of “Infections of a Different Kind of Human”
    AURORA, Review

    A Lesson on Balance: A review of “Infections of a Different Kind of Human”

    Karissa L Geisinger
    Mar 4, 2026

    A review essay of Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1) and A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) by AURORA. Decca…

  • A Warrior of Love: A review of “All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend (Deluxe)”
    AURORA, Review

    A Warrior of Love: A review of “All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend (Deluxe)”

    McKenna Schillinger
    Mar 3, 2026

    A review essay of All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend (Deluxe) by AURORA. Decca and Glassnote Records, 2016. AURORA’s debut…

  • Maybe Earth Isn’t So Bad?
    Review

    Maybe Earth Isn’t So Bad?

    Shaylie Muehl
    Mar 2, 2026

    A review of The Martian, by Andy Weir. Random House, 2011. 369 pages Right now, I can confidently say that no has…

  • Everyday English: Daniel Baugh
    Everyday English Majors

    Everyday English: Daniel Baugh

    Daniel Baugh
    Feb 27, 2026

    Daniel Baugh is a graduate student pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in mathematics while remaining actively involved in the English Department’s writing…

  • Unpacking My Library: Dr. Alisha White
    Unpacking My Library

    Unpacking My Library: Dr. Alisha White

    McKenna Schillinger
    Feb 26, 2026

     Dr. Alisha White is originally from Illinois but moved away when she was five, first to Restin, Virginia and then to Atlanta,…

  • Finding Myself in the Internet’s Hometown Hero – MICO
    Feature

    Finding Myself in the Internet’s Hometown Hero – MICO

    Lauren Bell
    Feb 25, 2026

    Music is really able to connect with people in multiple ways. Some people may use music to study, others may use it…

  • Becoming the Predator: Rite and Restraint in Badlands
    Review

    Becoming the Predator: Rite and Restraint in Badlands

    Daniel Baugh
    Feb 24, 2026

    A review of Predator: Badlands, directed by Dan Trachtenberg. 20th Century Studios, 2025. In early January, I found myself counting down the…

  • Not a Rollercoaster Ride
    Review

    Not a Rollercoaster Ride

    Shaylie Muehl
    Feb 23, 2026

    A review of Less than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis. Vintage Contemporaries, 1985. In Bret Easton Ellis’s novel, Less than Zero, set…

  • Unpacking My Library: Shaylie Muehl
    Unpacking My Library

    Unpacking My Library: Shaylie Muehl

    McKenna Schillinger
    Feb 20, 2026

    Shaylie Muehl is a junior at Western Illinois University, majoring in Professional Writing and minoring in Communications. M&L: What genre makes up…

  • What’s Your Bag? w/ Dr. Roberta Di Carmine
    What’s Your Bag

    What’s Your Bag? w/ Dr. Roberta Di Carmine

    Taylor Whitmore
    Feb 19, 2026

    M&L: What’s your bag? RD:  I bought this bag from my favorite store, T.J. Maxx! I enjoy visiting the store in Macomb…

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The Mirror & the Lamp


The Mirror & the Lamp, since our first publication in 2014, has always been managed by a small team of passionate and dedicated English students. These students, with varying backgrounds and identities, hold one goal in mind for The Mirror & the Lamp; to document the lives and experiences of those involved with the English Department here at Western Illinois University. Our non-fiction features writing style highlights the individuality of our authors, setting The Mirror and the Lamp apart from the strictly journalistic style of Western’s student-run newspaper, the Western Courier, and the focus on creative works in Western’s literary magazine, Elements. See our WIU webpage at The Mirror and the Lamp for more information.

 1 University Cir, Macomb, IL 61455

Latest Articles

  • A Warrior for Earth: A review of “What Happened to the Heart?”

    A Warrior for Earth: A review of “What Happened to the Heart?”

    Mar 6, 2026
  • A Stew of Sounds: A review of “The Gods We Can Touch”

    A Stew of Sounds: A review of “The Gods We Can Touch”

    Mar 5, 2026
  • A Lesson on Balance: A review of “Infections of a Different Kind of Human”

    A Lesson on Balance: A review of “Infections of a Different Kind of Human”

    Mar 4, 2026

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